Stocks posted a marginal gain at opening on Sunday as investors showed their buying interest on sector-wise issues cautiously ahead of December-end earnings and dividend declarations.
Following the previous week’s gain, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 2.56 points or 0.03 per cent to stand at 7,088, after the first hour of trading at 11:00am.
Two other indices also saw marginal gain till then. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, advanced 0.83 points to reach 2,598 and the Shariah Index (DSES) gained 2.88 points to stand at 1,520.
Turnover, another important indicator of the market, stood at Tk 3.44 billion within the first hour of trading as against Tk 3.11 billion in the first hour trading of the previous day.
Market analysts said most of the investors traded cautiously ahead of December-end earnings and dividend declarations while some were seeking opportunities in potential stocks.
Of the issues traded till then, 171 advanced, 139 declined, and 60 issues remained unchanged on the DSE trading floor till then.
Fortune Shoes was the most traded stock till then with shares worth Tk 383 changing hands, closely followed by Orion Pharma, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, Union Insurance and Yeakin Polymer.
The Chittagong Stock Exchange also opened slightly higher with its All Shares Price Index (CASPI)—gaining 38 points to stand at 20,807, while the Selective Categories Index – CSCX rising 21 points to reach 12,494 at 11:00am.
Of the issues traded till then 84 advanced, 57 declined, and 26 remained unchanged with Tk 109 million in turnover.